ALBANY — University at Albany sophomore centerMegan Craig, who at 6 feet, 8 inches already stands out in a crowd, carried a Fathead likeness of herself around the court as her team celebrated the America East championship Saturday night.

The UAlbany pep band held the oversized head during the game and gave it to Craig after she had a team-high 16 points and seven rebounds in the 61-52 victory over Hartford before 2,568 fans at SEFCU Arena.

"It was just awesome," Craig said. "I'd smile to myself, and it actually really calmed me down, seeing the support we actually had."

The native of New Zealand, who came to Albany as a project, earned tournament Most Valuable Player honors to help the Great Danes earn their second straight America East crown.

"It's still an amazing feeling," Craig said. "People tell me how much I've improved. It's great knowing that people would have seen the improvement, and I'm really working hard to get us back to the dance and it really worked out for us."

The Great Danes (27-3) also finished 18-0 against league opponents, becoming only the fourth America East team — and the first since Maine in 1996 — to go undefeated during the regular season and win the tournament.

"I actually got to stop and think at the end," UAlbany senior Ebone Henry said after her final home game. "I was like, 'Wow, we really just went undefeated.' That feels really good. It just shows all the hard work we've put in this year, and it all paid off for us. It was tough. This wasn't easy for us, and I was glad we were able to do it."

UAlbany earned its second straight NCAA Tournament bid and will find out its opponent Monday night when the 64-team field is announced.

Top-seeded UAlbany and second-seeded Hartford (23-11) were tied at 52 with 1:39 remaining before the Great Danes ran off the final nine points.

UAlbany sophomore guard Sarah Royals scored the tie breaking basket in the lane off an assist from Craig with 1:15 to play. Then a turnover by Hartford's Ambert Bepko bounced right to Craig, who laid it in for a 56-52 lead with 44 seconds on the block.

Freshman Shareesha Richards made a foul shot, and senior guard Lindsey Lowrie and Royals added two free throws each to account for the final margin.

"What they have done this year, to be (18-0) in the conference, nobody talks about that and that is impossible to do," UAlbany coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson said. "I don't care where you're playing, at UConn, at whatever school you're at. It's really hard to do no matter what level, and it's because of our seniors."

Henry, the school's career leader in points, managed only five on 2-of-9 shooting and didn't score until 9:24 remained. She committed five turnovers but also handed out six assists.

"It's what makes a team a championship team, when you take away their best player and they still find a way to win," Hartford coach Jennifer Rizzotti said. "They have other weapons, clearly, and they're tough to guard."

The Great Danes also prevailed despite not having all-conference forward Julie Forster for the final 6:56 after she'd fouled out.

UAlbany got a No. 14 seed in last year's NCAAs and lost at Texas A&M in the first round. The Great Danes, who enter the tournament on a 19-game winning streak, are hoping for a better draw this time around.

"We're way better this year," Abrahamson-Henderson said. "The (ESPN) Bracketology predicts us at (a) 15 seed. I'll be shocked. I hope somebody's out fighting for us. My thing is they'll recognize how many games we've won in a row and that's hard to do. But we'll play anybody."